Animal lovers are being asked to give a home to hens whose best egg-producing years are behind them.

Hens that are farmed for their eggs are usually slaughtered and turned into cheap pies or dog food once they reach about 18 months old, when the number of eggs they produce begins to reduce.

But the birds can live for more than 10 years and usually keep producing eggs until they are six or seven.

Now an organisation called Fresh Start For Hens, which has a collection point in Melton and others around the country, is taking the unwanted birds and finding them new homes where they can enjoy their later life.

Hens do not need a massive space to enjoy their final years of life

The organisation successfully rehomed 5,000 birds in March, but it still has 3,000 hens to give away and is about to receive another 6,000.

The Melton co-ordinator for the group, Emma Mitchell, said: “Finding that number of homes at short notice is not easy.

“Fresh Start for Hens is a not-for-profit organisation, run entirely by volunteers who are dedicated to rehoming hens from the commercial egg production sector.

“Commercially, all laying hens are slaughtered at the age of 72-78 weeks, when their production drops slightly.

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“Their carcasses are worth very little and are usually sold for dog food, baby food or cheap, processed pies and things.

“Fresh Start For Hens work closely with British farmers and purchases the hens from the caged, barn and free range systems, just before their slaughter date.

“They rehome hens to people wanting hens as pets or companion animals.

Hens can make great pets, Emma said

“Hens have begun their new lives in town, city and country gardens, allotments, schools and residential care homes.

“You don’t need to have a big garden to keep a few hens, they will be grateful for the additional years of freedom you can offer them and reward you with their entertaining antics and probably an egg or two.”

If you have space in your life for a chicken, visit www.fsfh.org.uk and reserve hens from your local collection point.